Question and answer 25

Disciple: If knowledge comes from the saying alone, what is the use of hearing and the rest?

Guru: There are two kinds of knowledge, unfirm and firm, that is, with defects and without them. The slow aspirant, who has the defects of doubt and misapprehension, may gain direct knowledge through being taught the saying; but knowledge with defects does not bring the fruit. Hearing and the rest, practised without a break, remove those defects; that is their fruit. The foremost aspirant, whose inner instrument is utterly pure, without doubt or misapprehension, gains firm direct knowledge from hearing the saying alone, and needs no hearing and the rest to remove defects. He alone is the one steady in wisdom, liberated while living.

Disciple: If knowledge arises by the saying alone, what is the use of hearing and the rest?

Guru: Knowledge is twofold, unfirm and firm (with defect, without defect). For the slow aspirant with the defects of doubt and misapprehension, though direct knowledge arises by the teaching of the saying, since knowledge with defects does not bring the fruit, the removal of that defect by hearing and the rest done constantly is the fruit of that hearing and the rest. For the foremost aspirant with an utterly pure inner instrument without the defects of doubt and misapprehension, since firm direct knowledge arises by hearing the saying alone, there is no need of hearing and the rest for the removal of defects. He alone is the one liberated while living, steady in wisdom.